BaByliss Powers European Distribution Network with Manhattan Associates Warehouse Management Solution

Manhattan Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH), the global leader in providing supply chain execution (SCE) and optimisation solutions, today announced that BaByliss, a leading brand and division of kitchen to hair-care appliances manufacturer Conair, has successfully gone live with Manhattan Associates Warehouse Management solution at its 100,000 ft2 (30,000 m2) European distribution centre (DC) at Iwuy in Northern France. The solution has already provided BaByliss with greater control over its outbound distribution operation in Europe and will deliver further value over the coming months as BaByliss transportation service partners become integrated with the new solution to deliver real-time visibility into goods throughout BaByliss entire DC-to-store fulfilment operation.

The Iwuy DC is an order fulfilment facility that serves all of its European markets (except for the UK, which has a separate, national DC in Northern England) as well as some export markets outside Europe. Every year, more than 50,000 multiple-order consignments ranging from single unit to full-truck load leave the Iwuy DC for direct delivery to store or for despatch to clients regional distribution hubs across Europe. As BaByliss European business expanded during the first few years of the millennium, the Iwuy warehouse outgrew the functional capabilities of its original ERP system used to process European orders. So the system overhaul that was needed to equip BaByliss for future growth resulted in the selection and integration of several core but complementary technologies including SAPs ERP system, Manhattan Associates Warehouse Management for iSeries solution, and Psion Teklogixs radio-frequency technology.

Strengthened by a long-standing relationship with Manhattan Associates in the U.S. and the positive experience that parent company Conair had enjoyed with its solutions there, the choice of Manhattan Associates Warehouse Management for iSeries solution was an obvious one for BaByliss. Following an in-depth functional design carried out jointly by BaByliss and Manhattan Associates, the Warehouse Management solution was implemented over a four month period earlier this year.

From the beginning of 2005, BaByliss transportation service partners (Gefco, ABX, Mory, etc) will have a direct link into Manhattan Associates solution, meaning the Warehouse Management solution will enable BaByliss to:

transfer order information to carriers via EDI;

automatically generate carrier-specific bar code labels that will allow each carrier to track orders at the carton level and send order status updates back to the Warehouse Management solution;

keep track of transportation costs by the use of a freight rate engine that automatically calculates freight costs before goods even leave the warehouse.

Six months after implementing the Warehouse Management solution at our Iwuy warehouse, the whole fulfilment operation is running smoothly. The system brings reliability in terms of stock control, traceability and visibility, and plays a particularly important role in our overall systems infrastructure, said Yvan Petit, logistics director at BaByliss. Thanks to the upcoming integration of our carrier partners, the solution will soon bring us even more value, by giving us complete visibility into our outbound distribution operation.

Henri Seroux, director of Manhattan Associates France, commented, We value our relationship with Conair and are confident in our ability to give BaByliss a competitive advantage in their European supply chain, allowing them to achieve key business goals and objectives. In addition, we are excited to be integrating our own solutions with SAPs, to provide BaByliss with the latest, most innovative solutions for todays consumer goods supply chain. The combination of these companies industry-leading solutions will provide BaByliss with the best-of-breed technology it needs now and into the future.